Actions Compromising Evidence, Remains?
Bodies are found out in the woods all the time by lay people.
At this point I doubt there's anything a volunteer could do, other than don't disturb or touch, that would
compromise anything.....
@enelram sbm Agreeing w your post. Others --- assume, for sake of discussion, SM's remains are buried in the forest/bush/wild on private prop or public land.
Who discovers?
--- If discovered by LEOs/CCSO
S&R official team, then LE's
Chain of Custody obligation
begins. SOP for CoC is
maintaining documentation of LE's
control (not modifying) of remains which are now evd in crim case (potentially). At trial, Prosecutor must be able to show documentation that LE complied w SOP for CoC. Ditto many other types and pieces of evd, e.g. an article of clothing w blood stains or tears, holes, or broken zipper.
Then Def. atty cannot plausibly argue - So, after finding remains,
LE contaminated evd, e.g., planted Def's DNA on remains, or place/ removed Def's article of clothing on/from remains, or removed jewelry or clothing, or caused bruising to remains. Yaknow, to 'make the case against Def.'
--- If
someone else (other than LEOs/LE's S&R) discovers remains? A birdwatcher, hunter, jogger, kayaker, mtn biker, camper, bird watcher, or private individual in an informal search group discovers and phones LE? After notification and arriving at scene of remains,
then LE's
CoC documentation begins.
^Seems there's always an
opportunity for someone to do something to remains, but would in itself only rarely preclude prosecution, imo.
When discovered, after MisPers report?
Day 4? Month 4? Year 4? Regardless of when discovered, a gap btwn Time of Death
(ToD) and time of locating remains allows their evidentiary value to decline, by
--- a person deliberately or accidentally modifying remains, e.g., add, move, or remove parts, items.
--- nature, e.g. weather, heat hastening or cold delaying decomp; animal predation, scattering body parts & bones.
--- passage of time itself causing decomposition.
--- combo or all of above.
The more time that passes before discovery, the more difficult for M/E to determine CoD, MoD, and ToD, imo regardless of
who discovers. No way to get around it, afaik. At least I cannot recall any case where M/E said, Oh, good thing it took months or years to find the remains, so helpful in determining CoD, MoD, and ToD.
@enelram ![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I think you got it - most important thing for anyone is Do Not Touch or Disturb.
As always, I welcome comment. clarification, correction, esp'ly from our legal professionals,
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![Big Grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
and bobcats, mountain lions, and other wild or domestic felines
![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
![Big Grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
. I could be missing or misinterp'ing something. jm2cts.